My name is Joe Babcock. I am a friar-in-formation for the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph (Midwest USA). For those that may be unfamiliar, here is a breakdown of what I just said:

Friar: a member of a non-cloistered religious order in the Catholic Church. So, basically, a monk that can move around freely…well, usually.

In-Formation: I am a ‘friar-in-formation’ because I am becoming a friar. The process of becoming a friar is gradual, and it eventually leads to a profession of “solemn” (life-long) vows.

Capuchin Franciscan: The ‘Capuchins‘ are one of the three major branches of the Franciscan Order, a group of ‘lesser brothers’ started by Saint Francis of Assisi. These days, the Capuchins are heavily involved in work with the poor and marginalized peoples of the world.

Province of St. Joseph: The administrative province of Capuchin Franciscans which I belong to roughly encompasses Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Montana, Saudi Arabia, and parts of Central America…and there are many Capuchins in our province scattered somewhere in between! Click here to see our province’s official website.

Fr. Dave Schwab, Capuchin, supervises at St. Ben’s Community Meal in Milwaukee.